Closure latch



Sept. 16, 1969 R. A. FERRARA v 3,467,425

CLOSURE LATCH Filed J&,n.,-, 15, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N \"ISN'TOR.

illa/040% 1 7:17am fiwzzw A T TORNEY Sept. 16, 1969 A. FERRARA CLOSURE LATCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 15. 1968 H TTOR/VE) US. Cl. 292-81 United States Patent 3,467,425 CLOSURE LATCH Rudolph A. Ferrara, Warren, Mich., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 15, 1968, Ser. No. 697,780 Int. Cl. Ec 19/06, 17/00, 19/00 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A seat back mounted writing tray is provided with a latch for securing the tray to the seat back. Upon disengagement of the latch, a blocking member blocks reengagement of the latch while the tray is still in closed position. Opening and closing of the tray disables the blocking member so that the tray may be latched again.

This invention relates generally to closure latches and in particular to a closure latch having a relatch preventing feature.

Many closure latches are utilized in vehicle bodies, such as for glove box doors, console storage compartment lids and seat back mounted writing trays. To unlatch the latch a latch operator is usually actuated by pushing it in a direction tending to hold the closure in closed position. If the latch operator is deactuated while the closure is still in closed position, the latch will relatch and. the closure will not open. This can be prevented by holding the latch operator in actuated position until the closure has been moved to open position, but this procedure is inconvenient.

The primary feature of this invention is that it provides a simple and inexpensive closure latch having a blocking member that is operable to prevent rela-tching upon actuation and deactuation of the latch operator while the closure is in closed position, but in which opening and closing of the tray disables the blocking member to permit relatching of the latch.

This and other features of this invention will become readily apparent upon reference to the following detailed description of the annexed drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a partial view of a vehicle body interior, showing a seat back mounted writing tray having a closure latch according to this invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken generally on line 22 of FIGURE 1, showing the latch in latched position;

FIGURE 3 is a View similar to FIGURE 2, showing the latch in unlatched position;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, showing the latch in relatch-preventing position;

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, showing the latch in an initially open or substantially closed position; and

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the closure latch.

Referring now to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, a vehicle body, generally designated 10, conventionally mounts a front passenger seat 12 having a back 14. A writing tray 16 is provided for the use of rear seat passengers. The tray 16 is pivotally mounted at its lower edge 18 to seat back 14 for movement between an open or use position, shown in phantom lines, and a closed or stored position, shown in solid lines, within a recess 20 provided in seat back 14. In the closed position, tray 16 forms a closure for recess 20 and lies flush with seat back 14. Tray 16 is held closed by a closure latch 22, the details of which will now be described with reference to FIGURES 2 and 6.

Latch 22 includes a resilient latch member 24 mounted at 26 to a mounting bracket 28 which is suitably secured Patented Sept. 16, 1969 to the seat frame, not shown. The latch member 24 is bent back upon itself to form a spring loop 30 and extends downwardly to a bent terminus forming a latch shoulder 32 located in an opening 34 in the back of seat 20. Latch 22 includes an integral blocking member 36 having a spring loop 38 which biases the blocking member outwardly through a slot 40 in bracket 28 and a flanged slot 42 in latch member 24.

Tray 16 includes a striker 44 projecting from its upper edge for overlapping engagement with shoulder 32 of latch member 24, as shown in FIGURE 2, when the latch is in latched position. In this position, striker 44 also engages the end of blocking member 36 and forces it inwardly of slots 40 and 42 against the biasing force of spring loop 38. A latch operator 46 is pivoted to tray 16 at 48 within a tray aperture 50 immediately beneath striker 44. A spring 52 biases latch operator 36 clockwise against a suitable stop to position the operator flush with tray 16.

To unlatch tray 16, operator 46 is depressed counterclockwise against the force of spring 52 to move shoulder 32 and latch member 24 downwardly and disengage the shoulder from striker 44, as shown in FIGURE 3. The upper flanged edge of slot 42 moves blocking member 36 downwardly until the blocking member disengages striker 44. Spring loop 38 then projects blocking member 36 outwardly through slots 40 and 42 to a position overlying shoulder 32, as shown in FIGURE 3. The force depressing operator 46 tends to maintain tray 16 closed.

As shown in FIGURE 4, upon its release, operator 46 is moved to its flush position by spring 52. Spring loops 30 and 38 cooperate to bias the latch member and blocking member upwardly until the upper surface of the blocking member engages the bottom of striker 44. Thus, although tray 16 has not been moved to its open position, striker 44 is prevented from reengaging latch shoulder 32 with blocking member 36.

Tray 16 may now be grasped and pivoted about its lower edge 18 for movement to its open position, as shown in phantom lines in FIGURE 1. As shown in FIG- URE 5, during the initial movement of tray 16, striker 44 disengages blocking member 36 and spring loops 30 and 38 move latch member 24 and the blocking member upwardly to their unbiased positions.

When use of tray 16 is no longer desired, the tray is pivoted about its lower edge 18 toward its closed position, as shown in solid lines in FIGURE 1. When the tray again reaches the FIGURE 5 position, striker 44 engages and depresses shoulder 32 and engages the end of blocking member 36. Upon further movement, striker 44 rides over shoulder 32 and moves blocking member 36 inwardly through slots 42 and 40 so that the striker can overlappingly engage shoulder 32 to latch tray 16 to seat back 14 as shown in FIGURE 2.

Thus, the blocking member 36 is automatically disabled upon opening and closing movement of the tray. However, inconvenient relatching of the latch prior to opening movement of the tray is prevented by the particular arrangement and function of the latch as described above.

While only one embodiment of this invention has been shown and described, other modifications are contemplated within the scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. In combination with a closure mounted for movement between open and closed positions relative to a support, a latch for the closure comprising,

a striker mounted on the closure,

a latch member mounted on the support for movement between latched and unlatched positions with respect to the striker,

means biasing the latch member to latched position,

a latch blocking member carried by the latch member for movement thereby and for movement relative thereto between a position blocking latching of the latch member with the striker and a position permitting such latching engagement,

means for moving the latch blocking member to latch blocking position,

a latch operator actuatable to move the latch member to unlatched position and permit movement of the latch blocking member to blocking position to prevent relatching of the latch member with the striker while the closure is in closed position, and

disabling means for moving the blocking member out of blocking position upon opening and closing movement of the closure to permit latching engagement of the latch member with the striker.

2. The closure latch of claim 1, wherein the latch member is provided with a shoulder for engaging the striker and the latch blocking member moving means include means biasing the blocking member to a position overlying the shoulder upon actuation of the latch operator.

3. The combination of claim 2, wherein the latch disabling means include means biasing the blocking member to a position for engagement by the striker upon closing movement of the closure to move the blocking member out of the position overlying the latch member shoulder to permit latching engagement of the striker with the shoulder.

4. In combination with a closure mounted for pivotal movement between open and closed positions relative to the support, a latch for the closure comprising,

a striker mounted on the closure,

a latch member mounted on the support for movement between latched and unlatched positions relative to the striker and having a shoulder engageable with the striker for latching and closure to the support, the latch member including an integral spring portion 4 biasing the latch member to latched position and permitting movement of the latch member to unlatched position,

a latch blocking member formed integrally with the latch member and movable therewith, the blocking member including an integral spring portion for moving the blocking member relative to the latch member between a position overlying the latch memher shoulder and a position uncovering the latch member shoulder, the blocking member being held in the uncovering position by the striker when the striker is engaged with the shoulder, and

a latch operator mounted on the closure and actuatable to move the latch member to unlatched position to disengage the striker from the shoulder and enable movement of the the blocking member to overlying position to prevent latching reengagement of the striker with the shoulder upon deactuation of the latch operator while the closure is in closed position, movement of the closure to open position enabling the biasing means to move the blocking member to a position for engagement by the striker upon movement of the closure to closed position to move the blocking member to uncovering position to permit latching engagement of the striker with the shoulder.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,146,123 7/1915 Bennett 292-81 X 2,402,812 6/1946 Gay 292-81 2,735,740 2/1956 Soans.

DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

